Faucet adapter



May 14, 1940.

J. J. TOOLAN 2,201,065

FAUGET ADAPTER Filed sept. 1, 195e J, J Enlaza Patented May 14, 1940narran stares 2,201,065 -FAUCET ADAPTER `James J. Toolan,

Schenectady, N. Y.

Application September l, 1938, Serial No. 228,025

3 Claims.

rThis invention relates to an adapter for conventional faucets ofvarious sizes. l f

At the present, conventional water faucets are made in various sizes sothat the space between the valve seat of the faucet and the threadedbore, in which is mounted the valve stem, varies considerably. As aresult thereof, in very large faucets where this space is great it isnecessary to screw the valve stem down through the. threaded bore untilonly two or three of its threads are in engagement before the` valvewill seat. This causes an unsteady connection for the valve stemresulting in play so that the valve will not seat squarely, andcontinued use causes excessive wear on the engaging threads increasingthe play until the valve head wobbles and sways as it moves downwardlythus preventing it from seating squarely, which not only causes a leakyfaucet but results in a knocking sound as the valve is opened andclosed, and in addition, substantially decreases the life of the faucet.v

It is an object of this invention to provide an adapter to be used toconnect the faucet valve and valve stem, to firmly connect the parts,and to adapt the valve and valve stem to faucet casings of any sizesothat the valve may seat while all of the threads of the valve stem areengaging the threaded bore of the valve casing to prevent wear and toinsure a proper seating of the valve to thereby eliminate leakage andnoise.

Practically all conventional valve stems are provided with bores,opening downwardly, of substantially the same length. It is a particularobject of this invention to provide connecting means between the valveand stem comprising a pin adapted to extend through the valve head andupwardly into the stem bore substantially its entire length to form a rmconnection and constructed so that its length may be varied dependingupon the number of spacing members mounted between the valve head andstem, and so that regardless of the number of such spacing members usedthe pin will extend substantially the same length into the stem borewithout under any circumstances leaving a portion of the shank of saidpin exposed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein: v

Figure l is a side elevational view partly in section of a faucetshowing the adapter associated therewith,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the valve, asseen in Figure l, in a retracted position,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the valve in a closedposition and provided with two spacing members, Y

Figure `Ll' is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a valve casingof adifferent interior construction having a `greater space between thevalve seat and valve stem bore, and with a plurality of spacing membersmounted between the valve and valve stem to space the valve to seat itwhile all of the threads of the stem are in engagement,

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the adapter P111,

Figure 6 is a similar view of the valve head,

Figure 1 is a similar view of the backing plate for the valve head, and

- Figure 8 is a similar view of one of the. spacing members.

A. Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views, Il) designates generally a conventional faucet casingprovided with the passage Il, divided intermediate of its ends by thediaphragm l2 having the communicating opening i3 and the. upsetannularflange I4 surrounding said opening and forming a valve seat. The upperend of the valve casing lli is provided with an internally threaded boreI5 in which is mounted the externally threaded valve stem i6 having areduced depending neck I1 and a longitudinal bore I8 ex tending'from theintermediate portion of said stem downwardly to open outwardly of theneck I1. The heretofore described parts as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4are of conventional construction and shown merely to illustrate theapplication of the invention. The construction of the casing IU asillustrated in Figure 4 differs from the casing I0 as illustrated inFigures l to only in that it is larger and the space I9 between bore I5and the valve seat I4 is substantially greater than the correspondingspace 2U of casing l0, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

This invention, includes the pin 2l having the head 22, and the reducedportions 23 adjacent the free end of its shank and disposed in equallyspaced relationship relatively to each other thereby forming the spacedportions 24k each of which is substantially of the same thickness as thespacing plate or washer `25, as seen in Figure 8.

The valve head or washer 26, which is preferably formed of vulcanizedliber turned on the grain, is provided withV a convexed or rounded lowerportion 21 and a flat upper, face on which is 'ures l ings 29 throughwhich the pin 2| is adapted to be inserted so that the head 22 engagesagainst the convex underside 21 thereof.

In Figures 1 and 2, the pin 2| is shown extending through the valve 26and the member 28 and upwardly into the bore I 8, and in order toprevent member 28 from being spaced from the neck I'I the pin 2| isbroken off at its inner reduced portion 23Y to eliminate the portions 24so that the pin 2| will extend upwardly into the bore I8 substantiallyits entire length, preferably leaving la slight clearance at the upperend, as seen in Figand 2. It will thus be seen that all three of theportions 24 must be broken off when the space 2D is very small so thatnone of the spacing members25 need be used. In Figure 3, two of thespacing members 25, which are provided with the bores are mounted on thepin 2| between the neck I1 and the reinforcing member 28 to space thewasher 25 from the stem I6, and since two yof the spacing members 25 arebeing used the pin 01T at the outer reduced portion 23 2| is brokenleaving two of the spaced portions 24 so that the pin 2| still extendssubstantially the length of the bore I8 to provide a firm connection,The two spacing members 25 are inserted either because the space 2|] inFigure? is greater than in AFigure 2 or to raise Ythe stem I6 inthe boreI5.

In Figure 4, the casing I0 is provided with the space I9 which issubstantially greater than the space 20, of Figures l, 2 and 3, and inorder to have the valve 26 engage the seat I4 while all of the threadsof the stem I 6 are engaging the threads of the bore I5, three of thespacing members 25 must be employed, in order to have thek pin 2| extendupwardly, substantially the entire length of the bore I8 none of theportions 24 are broken 0E, so that as a result thereof a rm connectionis maintained between the pin 2| and the bore I8 while substantiallyspacing the valve 26 from the neck I Obviously, the size of the pin 2|and the number of the portions 23 and 24 may be varied, as well as thethickness of the portions 24 and of the spacing members 25, since thedrawing is only intended to illustrate a preferred form of theinvention, and since the bores I8 of diierent stems I6 will vary to someextent the pin 2| will not in every case extend to substantially theupper end of every bore I8. As a result, in some cases one of theportions 24 may be retained even though no spacing members 25 are beingused and the number of portions 24 may not always vary exactly with thenumber of spacing members 25.

Various other modifications and changes may obviously be made and arecontemplated, and the right is reserved to make such variations andchanges as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention ashereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A device of the class described comprising a pin having a head at oneend thereof, said pin being provided adjacent its opposite end with aplurality of spaced annular grooves forming a plurality of spacedfrangible collars, said pin being adapted to connect a faucet valve headand stern, and a 'plurality of washers carried by the pin for spacingthe valve. head and stem, the thickness of said washers beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the collars, and the number ofwashers and collars used varying proportionately.

2.` In an attachment for faucet valves, a pin adapted to connect afaucet valve stem and valve head and to extend inwardly of said stemsubstantially the length of its bore, a head on the exposed end of thepin, the shank of said pin being formed of a plurality of spacedfrangible portions, and a plurality of spacing members removably mountedon said pin, each being equal in thickness to one of said frangibleportions.

3. A connector of the class described comprising a headed pin having ashank end formed of a plurality of equally spaced frangible portions,

and a plurality of spacing members removably mounted on said pin, eachof said members being of substantially they same thickness as each ofthe spaces between said frangible portions, the number of said spacingmembers and portions varying proportionately so that the length of theexposed end of said pin will remain constant.

JAMES J. TOOLAN.

